Do Right and Rewrite
by jjj9t20
Summary: She used to love stories. She couldn't get enough of them. Now she's tasked with writing the history of her world, and creating a new story that the next world will be built on. And it'll take all her cunning and all her friends to see this journey to its end.
1. Dreams

For as long as Tia could remember, she dreamt of the world dying. According to Nana 'Len, she was the exact opposite as a baby.

"You were so good growing up," she used to say. "Almost never cried, and when I said 'no more of that' you'd do what I told you to do. I remember when it was time for you t'be off the bottle; I only had to tell you once and you never asked for it again."

That was a relief. She didn't like the idea of giving Nana trouble. But eventually dreams of smoke and death, locusts eating human flesh, wars between countries that didn't exist, people starving, betrayals, and hopelessness. When she first had the dreams, everything terrified her: sleep, shadows, friends, fire. Great Gods above and below, the fire was what terrified her most of all.

"Must be a fey child," she overheard Eunice tell Beatrice one day. "Took the real baby after the missus brought her in."

"Bug-eyed little freak came in the other day, wanted to ask me about Voices in fires."

"In the fires? That's new." she said.

"Holy hell, don't remind me."

"That's nothin'," Kandice's voice said. "A few days ago I came in, y'know how I help open up the shop."

"Of course."

"Well, not two steps in the door and here comes the missus' kid, crying up a storm because **someone** said that wind spirits would eat his soul if he whistled at night."

"Someone needs to get that brat out of this shop," Beatrice said.

"Menace of the shop district," Eunice agreed.

Tia didn't talk about her dreams after that. Didn't sleep as much either. That led to many 'hilarious' moments where she'd fall asleep randomly throughout the day, and wake up in the strangest of places: a meat cellar, a greenhouse, behind the bomber's house, even in a pond surrounded by frogs. It was because of that last one Rex was with her today to explore the ruins.

The two had left early in the morning, sneaking behind old boxes and underneath the Troll Bridge to avoid anyone (Duran) who might be looking for them. With some dog meat, some day old bread, and two jugs of water, they waved goodbye to the patrolmen (well Tia did) and headed off into the Grana Plains for an adventure.

"Come _on_ , Tia! The sun's gonna set before we even get to the hills!"

"You can see the sun?" she asked looking up at the overcast sky. "Where is it?"

Rex pinched her nose. "Don't get smart with me. Come on, I think I see the old tower."

Tia pouted, but didn't say anything. They held hands as they climbed over half-buried walls and poked around in holes of towers. Tia kept trying to break off every time she saw something that caught her eye, especially flowers. She finally managed to drag Rex to look at some as they neared the base of the hill. They only had a few petals each, but they twisted upward in a fashion that too closely resembled fire for her liking.

"Maybe we'll find some other flowers to bring back."

Rex laughed. "Fana?"

"For Fana, yeah," she nodded. "And maybe for Duran too."

He rolled his eyes. "Puh- **lease** , he don't deserve nothin' nice you got."

"He's nice."

"When he's not dragging us t'Hell."

"Hey now," she said. "Don't call it that. You know Mr. Gustav cares about us."

"Then he should leave us alone."

She threw her hands up in the air and gave up. Sometimes Rex just liked to be grouchy. Despite what he said though, he still knelt down and unsheathed his pocketknife to cut the stems. He dumped a handful over her head as she laughed.

"For you 'n for Fana."

She smiled at him before removing her jacket to wrap around the flowers to make a kinda bouquet. She looked at the flowers in her head and shuddered at the sight. If only she could wrap up her dreams the same way. A far off rumbled of thunder brought her back to reality and, not wanting to waste anymore time if it started to rain, ran the rest of the way up the steep hill, careful of the numerous pitfalls and jutting debris from the ruins. By the time she reached the top, she was panting and sweating, but grinning from ear to ear. This right here was her hill, from the skinny tree with the twisty roots, to the monolith standing tall and proud, to even the view. It was special to her; the air was cleaner, the colors brighter...and kinder dreams.

After catching her breath she began walking over to the monolith, lightly tracing the symbols and pictures on its cool surface.

"Geez Tia," Rex huffed. "Couldn't wait, could ya?"

She giggled. "Nope! Gotta work for that nap."

Rex made a face like he was smelling week old fish before looking passed her at the monolith. "Sure is butt ugly."

"It's got _character_."

"See, that's how I know you're spending too much time with the old folks. Who says that unironically?"

Tia raised her hand.

"My point exactly," he said nodding.

She rolled her eyes, but was in too good a mood. She was at her favorite spot with one of her favorite people, they were gonna have a picnic, and this would be a good day. She could feel it in her bones.

While Tia laid down in the grass and closed her eyes, she heard Rex fidget and move around her. He finally sat down and she heard him unwrap the bread they brought.

"If you're gonna nap, imma go an' eat" he said next to her.

Rex's voice and the distant rumbling of thunder mixed with the thick and heavy air. An unseasonably warm breeze weaved through the ruins surrounding them, and lulled her to sleep.

* * *

 _The end of life as we know it is here_

Her vision flickered. Bright, flashing lights while fast-paced images raced passed her: towers crumbling, stars setting trees ablaze, things crawling out of fire. Fire everywhere. She felt as if someone was smothering her, she couldn't breathe, she couldn't _see_ , and the smell of something or someone burning was too close.

 _Mankind has strayed from the path._

 _I shall incinerate them with their own sins_

She clawed at her throat, Great Gods, she was **burning** and no one cared

 _From their ashes–_  
"–a new world shall be born." she gasped. She'd never managed to speak before. It felt like the weight of the world was lifted with those few words. She was weightless, floating far away from the fire and the screams and the broken world around her.

But the Voice continued on, as if it were nothing new or different.

 _Let us bind a deal between us  
_ _you shall attain my heart's true desire._  
That was new.

"Desire? I-I don't even know who you are. I couldn't."  
 _You can and you will, Tia. Do not fear, for you will not be alone in this quest._  
"No! No, I...I'm just a kid. Please, I can't, I don't even know what you wa–"

 _Who here has created countless worlds?!_ A blinding flash of light caused her to scream and stumble back. She was at the edge of the world, and now she was falling.

 _Who here has seen_ _the rise and fall of man?_

 _Who witnessed their civilizations rot beneath their own greed?_

 _Was it not I who kept my promise? Who had not given up on the forgotten?_

Tia curled into a ball,shutting her eyes tight against the light and putting her hands over her ears to keep the earth-shattering voice at bay. She kept falling, faster and faster with the wind screaming and whipping her hair against her face. A whimpering and pathetic noise escaped her, and began to cry when she finally looked up. Like someone flipping a switch, the light was gone and the world was devoid of sound. She was floating in nothingness and alone. Even when she felt a hand on her shoulder, she flinched away.

 _You must receive me, Tia. Please._ The Voice was softer, almost apologetic.

 _Please…_

* * *

 _Tia...please…_

 _Please, Tia._

 _Tia…?_

"Tia!"

She jolted awake, gasping for air and blinking back tears. She looked up to see Rex gripping her shoulders.

"What the hell?"

She couldn't answer him. She was still shaking from whatever it was that'd happened. She jumped into Rex's arms and started to cry.

"Uh, um, there there?" Rex patted her head with the gentleness of a wooden spoon and spoke as soothingly as a rusty wheel trying to turn. But he was there and he was trying, and that's all she needed.

"Rex, it-it was awful! I saw- I saw-!"  
"I know. But hey, it was just a dream, right?" he gave her head another pat and pulled away from her. He gave her a self-assured smile. "Dreams won't hurt you. Not when I'm here."

She looked at him with tears in her eyes, but then they widened and looked just off his shoulder. He turned around and saw a soldier standing on top of a crumbling wall. Without looking away she fumbled for Rex's hand and gripped it tightly.

The... **thing** looked like a soldier, but unlike the patrolmen or guards in Rhoan, this soldier had pitch black armor and was covered in spikes. It kept cocking and turning its head like a mechanical toy owl, kneeling down and bending it's arms and legs like a giant spider.

"What is that?" Rex whispered.

"It's...it looks like a spider."

She pulled closer to him and whimpered. "Rex, let's get out of here before it sees us."

Rex bit his lip but nodded. Ignoring their lunch, they began to crawl backwards, not daring to turn their back to the thing. The thing was climbing over the ruins, putting its head closer to the ground and jerking back up too quickly for them to see or comprehend what caused its strange movements. It was climbing slowly up the hill while they were carefully going back down it.

The monolith was probably the largest and the biggest ruin on the hill, but near it were cracked and broken pieces of possibly others. Right now the monster was circling around one of these. It climbed on top of it and pulled out a strange rod that began to * _clik*_ and * _whir*_ until it was twice as long as the monster. The monster began to wave it about, tapping against objects and seemingly measuring how tall they were.

" _This thing is blind"_ Tia jumped at the sound of a voice in her ear.

Rex grabbed her hand in a vice grip and glared.

" _You can take this thing in a fight."_

* _shhhhnk*_

Rex and Tia both looked up to see a scythe had unfolded from the monster's rod, as pitch black as its armor save for its rusted edges, and it swung it at one of the ruins and cut it cleanly in half.

Tia squeaked.

It cocked its head, grabbed one half of the ruins, and threw it at her.

Rex cursed and pulled her away. The stone ruin crashed just inches away from them, the force making them trip and roll down Sunny Hill. Tia coughed and sputtered and barely knew what to do before she heard a whistling noise.

" _Kid you gotta get up and MOVE!"_

She rolled away just as another rock crashed down. She looked up to see the monster jump down from the top of the hill in one leap. It began smelling the ground and blinking in and out of her vision, moving too fast to see and she _couldn't move_.

" _Kid I know it's scary but you gotta fight it! You gotta kill it before it kills_ you _."_

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Rex was just starting to get up. He groaned and rolled over. The monster heard him. Tia groped around her, found a rock, and threw it at its head.

" _Not what I had in mind but, hey, whatever works for ya I guess_."

The monster huffed and twisted its head in her direction. From its hip it pulls out another weapon, a handaxe (but the blade alone was easily half Tia's size) and threw it at her. Tia yelped and dropped to the ground, and immediately rolled to the side when the monster charged. The monster crashed into the remains of a half-buried wall and gave a whinny of frustration.

Tia looked back at Rex, now standing up but frozen in place.

" _Fight back!"_

Tia had an idea. She stood up, grabbing another rock and began to run.  
"I need a knife! I need a knife!" she shouted and threw the rock at the monster. "It's blind, it's blind!"

The monster made a sound that sounded like a mixture of a bark and bull's cry, and charged again, but this time she was ready. It was blind and she was clever. She jumped over the last remains of the wall. It crashed through and smashed headfirst into the side of a tower. Rex was there waiting with his knife in hand. Tia held out her hand and he handed it to her.

"See you soon?" she whispered.

He nodded before turning around and bolting off. The monster heard them, but she'll be damned if she was going to let that thing hurt Rex. She gave a sharp, low whistle and charged.

" _Hope you know what you're doing._ "

The monster swung its scythe and she reared back, seeing her reflection in the blade before twisting away and jumping back. Underneath her she felt the ground give a little bit. They were close, but she had to make sure it'd work before luring the thing towards it. She glanced at its scythe. Or she could make it do the work for her

It swung its scythe downwards, and she jumped back, hissing in pain when it grazed against her leg. The scythe cut into the ground and got stuck between the grate underneath.

Long ago there had been a sewage system in Frannelle, but went out of use after merging with Rhoan. The sewers went all the way out into the Grana Plains, where its contents would be disposed of. Most were blocked off now, but grates like this one were still around.

And their hinges let the grates swivel.

The monster couldn't pull its scythe out, so with a * _clik*-_ ing noise the blade was sheathed. Tia drop kicked it out of the monster's hands and threw another rock at it. It moved towards her. She stepped just as it stepped onto the grate and its weight made it fall into the sewer below.

Tia jumped back on and stabbed Rex's knife into one of the hinges to keep it in place. She twisted the knife and pushed, but the monster below roared and shook the bars of the grate, almost shaking her off.

" _Don't worry kiddo, I've got your back."_

A burst of fire erupted from the knife, transforming it into a flaming sword. It melted the grate in place, sending Tia and the monster cowering away from its light. Tia felt the heat against her face, her eyes drying up but she still couldn't move away.

" _Kid!"_

The voice brought her back and she moved just before a clawed hand shot between the bars below her and tried to grab her leg. She scrambled off of the grate and stared in horror. The blood pounded in her ears, the knife was still on fire, and the monster was shaking the grate and screaming.

She got up and ran back home. Back to Rex, back to Rhoan, back to safety and away from monsters and the hill. She could still hear a voice in her ear though, laughing with glee.

" _Oh man, I sure am glad to be back!"_


	2. Unraveling

Tia kept on running, adrenaline pushing her despite her burning lungs and her left leg beginning to hurt and . Rex was still far ahead of her, and she knew from experience that if he didn't want to be caught, she'd never catch up.

"R-Rex!" she spat out.

She collapsed on the ground, coughing and gasping for air. Everything was dizzy, and looking up she couldn't see Rex anymore, just the legs of soldiers dressed in strange armor. Someone had her back to her, but seemed to be getting closer to her. He had a shield, which was painted like the sun and kept spinning and spinning and spinning...

 _"Blackburn…! Footprints..lost men...the path?" the clattering of the marching soldiers drowned out what little Tia could hear._

 _" ba.k….r spies say…..lo. Lost…"_

Suddenly Rex pushed through the hallucination, grabbing her arm and hoisting her up.

"Come **on** Tia, don't dream on me now!" he looked terrified and sounded angry. Half-dragging, half-pulling her, he ran as fast as he could. They zig-zagged through ruins and doubled back more than once, images of monsters sprouting from the ground and dragging them down flashing in their mind's eye.

While they felt like they were running for hours, it was probably five or ten minutes before collapsing. Rex let go of Tia, hands on his knees and trying to breath. Tia rolled onto her back on the ground, wiping sweat from her brow and wanting to cry. Her heartbeat was still too fast, but she felt calmer and felt the aftereffects of her fight; she was shaking all over, she wanted to vomit or cry or cry and vomit, she ached all over, and good gods did her leg hurt.

She bit her lip and closed her eyes . She could picture chunks of skin hanging off of bone, a trail of blood leading the monster right towards them, of having to explain to Nana Helen why she only had one leg and _oh Kings, Helen was going to be so disappointed in her for fighting_. Finally though, she stretched her leg out and gave it a good look. She fell over backwards with relief. It wasn't that bad. No doctor with a saw was going to have to cut it off. She turned her head to look back towards the hills and groaned.

"What's up?" She turned to look at Rex, who had finally caught his breath and looked way more relaxed than she felt.

'If Rex thinks we're safe then we're safe,' she thought.

She pointed to where they just were. "I got grazed a little by its axe. Now there's a blood trail."

"So we're screwed then."

"Yeah."

Rex walked over, grabbed her ankle and looked at her cut. He scowled before he tore a bit of fabric from his sleeve and haphazardly tied it tight. He offered a hand and, with a smile, Tia took it. Before she could thank him though, he pushed her back to the ground.

"What was **that** for?!"

"Don't get cozy just 'cause ya got a lil' lucky," he said. "You're still puny, Tia. And I don't wanna tell Helen and Fana that ya got shish-kabobed."

 _"Tch,"_ Tia looked around at the sound of another voice. _"He didn't seem so concerned when he was running away."_

"Rex, did you hear-" she reached out to tug his sleeve but he pulled away.

"C'mon Tia, you're not a lil' kid. I mean, you **did** just save us, didn't you, 'hero'?"

Tia didn't like how he said that last bit. It sounded too much like he too big a loogie in his mouth and had to spit it out right that moment or choke on it. Instead of saying anything though, she fiddled with the frayed end of her old school skirt, shifting from one foot to the other. Distant thunderclaps startle both of them, and rightly decide to keep moving back home.

 _"Yeesh, he's a jerk. Needs ta make up his mind instead a' being all hot and cold."_

Tia looked over her shoulder, and that's when she noticed something stuck to the back of her shoulder. She carefully pulled it off and examined it closer. It was a metallic bookmark, shaped like a looping 'S' with a long tassel with red beads at its end. Carved into the base of it was an intricate design, resembling a sleeping boy with flame shaped hair.

Her fingers grew warm, and a strange sense of satisfaction washed over her. _"It's about damn time ya noticed me, kiddo."_

The warmth travelled from her fingers, down her arm, and into her injured leg. The throbbing pain quickly subsided. She put a little more weight on her leg and, marvelling at the miraculous healing, began to jump up and down.

 _"Figured I owed ya."_

She ran to catch up with Rex, who had her jacket under one arm and was leaning against a signpost that read 'Crossroad of the World'. (The actual crossroad, and not the eponymous town about two miles south. It's a popular merchant town if you're not from Rhoan which often claimed to be the center of the world; neither town particularly cared for the other and had a rivalry as old as the Samiad Desert.)

"You shouldn't run like that. You could ah sprain or twist or pull a muscle out, or somethin'."

"That's stupid," she said. "Everyone knows you can't pull muscles outta your skin."

"Can so, Kamui said pulling muscles out was a real big problem for people who don't stretch. And for people who fight monsters by themself."

 _"Maybe you shouldn'ta let us fight alone, ya jerk."_

Tia was now certain the Voice was coming out of the bookmark in her hand, and cringed.

"See? Don't push yerself too hard, okay 'hero'?" They sat in the shade of a leaning tower that was used to mark the Crossroads. Unsure what to say, she began pulling at the grass.

Without saying anything, Rex tossed her balled up jacket, crossed his arms, and pointedly stared where they just came without saying a word. She unravelled it to find most of the flowers they'd picked were in it and completely crushed or torn to bits. She couldn't remember where she placed her jacket last, and could only assume Rex had run to grab it for her in all the confusion earlier.

 _"Yer giving him way too much credit."_

Tia sighed, stood up and shook everything out. There was a rather heavy thunk noise as something that wasn't a flower fell out of the folds of her jacket. She glanced at Rex, who was still ignoring her, then picked up the ugliest looking book she'd ever seen.

It was as thick as her fist, with numerous pages of different sizes and even shapes sticking out haphazardly. Its cover felt scablike to the touch, but on closer inspection she realized it had been sewn or stapled or even taped together like an improvised jigsaw puzzle where half the pieces were missing and the person putting it together had to do it by memory. Some parts looked and felt like leather, other parts were so thin she could almost see through them. In the center of it wasn't covered up, allowing her to see the scorched underneath. She turned the Book - for some reason that felt like a title or a name- and saw that it was the same as the front. She turned it over again and frowned to discover some sort of lock that kept her from opening it.

"Rex?"

"Mm."

"What's this?"

"Figured it was your jacket."

"I know that," she said irritated. "I mean what's this book."

"'S yours."

"No it's not."

Rex leaned back, closed his eyes and grinned. "Yeah it is."

"Look, I'd remember bringing a book with me, especially this Book and I'm telling you that it's not my book."

"Well, if you really wanna go back, fine. I won't stop ya," he said sarcastically. "But I personally think that one old book is as good as any other dumb old book. Just sayin'."

She frowned. "But Rex, I didn't bring a book with me. I've never seen this Book 'fore in my life."

He finally opened his eyes and looked at her, his brow furrowed.

"What you mean 'you didn't'? Course you did, it's right there ain't it?"

"I know it is but it's not mine and-Great Kings!"

Rex jumped to his feet just as she threw the Book to the ground. In the center of the cover a blinking red and yellow eye had blinked at her. Rex grabbed a bit loose rock and flung it at the Book, which only blinked in annoyance and looked up at them both.

Tia kept glancing at the Book and Rex, who was slack jawed.

"You saw that right? I mean it wasn't just me, right? Rex? You saw it looking at us, right Rex?"

He didn't answer, only nodded as he stared at the Book. It held his gaze, as if daring him to try throwing a rock at it again.

It was at that moment they heard the stomping of feet coming from the opposite direction they'd been traveling. The two kids looked at each other and came to a silent agreement.

They left the Book there and climbed into the derelict tower, where they knew they'd be safe from whatever was coming their way.

 _"Can't believe yer just gonna hide instead a fight. Where's the fun in that?"_

"Think it's that monster?" Tia asked.

"Dunno. Kinda doubt it though."

"Why?"

"Dunno. Just a hunch I got. Might be something worse out there, though."

Tia closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. Something hurt, something was wrong. Something was pulling at her and insisting she go out there, towards the danger, towards the monsters.

Towards the Book.

 _"I see some ginger with a buncha flowers in his hair bein' chased by three big, fat, and grey things."_

She wanted to rest.

 _"You can do somethin', ya know."_

She wanted the Book.

 _"That poor schmuck is probably gonna be ate by those things and yer gonna hafta listen ya know."_

She didn't want to die.

But she didn't want whoever was out there to die either.

Without another thought she ran towards the tower wall and began shimmying up to the window, ignoring Rex's shouts below and the lump in her throat that reminded her how **stupid** she was acting right now. She jumped down and did a quick roll to keep up her momentum, spotting the Book and diving to grab it.

Before she could congratulate herself -for what though she didn't know but Good Kings did it feel right to hold the Book again- she saw movement in the corner of her eye. She got back up to her feet and peered around the corner just as Rex hopped down and followed her.

"What were you thi-"

"Shh!" she put a finger to his lips then pointed. There was Duran, the swordsman's son, juggling no less than three goblins in the air.

Rex looked like someone who hadn't expected their day to go like this and very much wanted to nap or leave and do something sensible, like raise chickens. He threw his arms in the air and started to walk away. "I'm done for today. He can deal with all this. Give him the dang Book."

"Rex…"

"Good _bye_ , Tia."

A goblin whizzed by Rex's head at that moment, bouncing one, two, three times before rolling to a halt. Tia looked behind them just in time to see Duran throw one goblin so high in the air it left a silhouette in the clouds. A third one however bounced on the ground and looked very, very annoyed at the whole ordeal.

"Duran! Get over here!" Tia shouted.

That was a mistake.

Duran turned around at the sound of her voice and waved at her. "Oh hey Tia, what are yoooooooou-WHOA"

While he was talking, a goblin grabbed and threw him with all its strength. He came flying to Tia and tackled her down.

"Oof, how're you?" he asked.

Rex ran back and pulled at Duran's arm. "Get offa her!"

The three huddled together as the two goblins moved closer. One ripped a half-buried rock and held it over its head; the other picked up a club it must've dropped earlier and gave a toothy grin.

"Shit," Rex muttered.

 _"Looks bad, kid. You can do something about these nobodies, though."_

"There skin's like stone, what'll we do?" Tia asked helplessly.

"Run?" Duran suggested.

"They're faster than us. And Tia's hurt," Rex said.

 _"Use the Book. Save your friends."_

Tia looked down at the Book she was clutching to her chest, then back at the goblins. Something in her mind's eye was changing. The goblins were still there, but now it was like they were made of something...else. Like they were knitted out of different colored yarn, but some of the yarn was also transparent and floated above their heads like a halo. The air around them shimmered like a mirage.

 _"Pull apart the magic. Er, the long tendril lookin' things."_

She didn't know what a tendril was, but she figured it had to do with the funny looking yarn. She reached out her hand and pulled, and whatever hovered over the goblin's heads moved towards her and wrapped around her fingers. They changed into something else, almost like light or how she imagined how lightening would feel.

 _"Good. Now pull out the blue ones."_

She did as the Voice instructed, and a bunch of stones suddenly fell at her feet. Tia gave a yelp and jumped back. She looked at the two boys on either side and noticed a sudden change. While just a moment ago both were tense and nervous, they suddenly seemed to relax (or at least Rex did). In that moment Rex gave a yawn and stretched.

"Dunno what the big deal is, you acted like you were being chased by something scary."

Duran frowned and unsheathed his rapier. "A true hero never let's his guard down, Rex. Even the most innocent of creatures can get the jump on you."

"Or maybe," Rex grinned. "You're just a pansy."

At that, Rex raced towards the goblin with the club and drop kicked it. It tried to swing at him, but Rex easily ducked down and gave it a punch to its gut. It didn't get back up.

"Show off." Duran muttered. Not wanting to seem weak, he turned to the other goblin only to see that it had dropped the boulder onto its head and knocked itself out.

"Like I said," Rex smirked and put his hands on his hips.  
Duran didn't answer, only sheathing his sword and quietly walking away.

Tia stared at them both with her mouth open. What happened?

 _"You used the Book. You remade reality."_


	3. Whoops

Tia didn't know why her house was called 'the Troll House', if it was effected by the stories of trolls living under bridges or if the stories came afterwards. Nana insisted that it was actually a spelling error instead of a bullying tactic. That the cottage beside the bridge was actually a _toll_ booth and the house underneath was where he used to live. This was a very neat and clean explanation. Tia didn't think it had a grain of truth to it.

Aside from the teasing and the noise, Tia quite liked her home. It was truly one of a kind. It didn't have much of a yard though, and it had some impractical entrances. Of the three ways in, you'd think the front door was best, and if you enjoyed the smell of fish and water in your boots, it was. Tia however didn't and had bricked it off a long time ago.

Most people politely declined entering the rabbit hole. Too dark, was the common complaint, so Tia entertained guests in the tollbooth-turned-cottage instead of her actual home most days.  
Even less people liked being in such a small room for more than necessary.

"Really Tia, I'm _fine_ and I really must get back to father's school." Duran said.

"No no, you definitely need to sit down and rest a bit. Doesn't he, Rex?"

"Oh yes," Rex nodded. "Can't have you meeting dear old Papaw dehydrated now, can we?"

"That'd be very rude."

"Very rude indeed."

Duran sighed. "Look, I'm not gonna snitch on you guys, don't worry. No one has to know you ditched class. Or…about the goblins?"

Rex and Tia looked at each other. Then Rex said, "Yeah, no, I'm definitely telling everybody 'bout the goblins."

Duran plucked a white flower from his hat and handed it to Tia.

"We definitely won't tell anybody." she said.

"Wha-" She elbowed Rex. He scowled, but eventually he shrugged and turned around, as if the whole ordeal was too much a bother.

"Thanks Tia," Duran gave her a smile. "Say hello to Fana for me, ya?"

"Yeah. Thanks Duran."

The two kids watched him cross the bridge and into Rhoan's market before quietly making their way down the hill and into The Rabbit Hole. They hung their shoes on a hook above the bricked over door and climbed through the window. Above them they could still hear Duran and the guards chatting on the bridge, which made up almost two-thirds of the roof.

"It's been kinda rainy lately," Rex said, lighting a lantern. "Didn't see a lotta water though."

"Yeah, I think they're making a dam or something? Up river," Tia carefully placed the flower Duran gave her on the table and took off her coat.

"Damn dams."

She groaned and collapsed onto her bed. " _Rex._ "

He laughed. "Couldn't help myself, sorry. Think it was commissioned though by one of those...dames?"

"Rex!"

Without bothering to ask he made his way to her kitchen and prepared them both some tea. While waiting for the water to boil he made himself busy opening her "windows" (actually refurbished sewer holes) to let more light and air in, then began sweeping the floor.

"You work too hard," Tia said.

"And you don't work _enough_."

"'Scuse you," she said sitting up. "Which of us has been working with Nana an' Fana all their life?"

"Doesn't count."

"Does too!"

"Doesn't."

"Well, what about fighting? Did pretty well for someone who don't work that hard."

Rex stopped sweeping. Even from where she was sitting she could see how tightly he was gripping the broom handle.

Taking a deep breath he said, "Doesn't."

"Doesn't what?"

"If you were so smart, you'd know it 'doesn't' count, not 'don't' count." he turned and gave her a cocky grin.

Tia stuck her tongue out at him before turning her attention back to the flower. It was quite pretty, a stark white with yellow thingies and plenty of pollen dusting the center of it. She chewed the inside of her lip. Fana would like it, that's for sure, but Tia liked it too.

"Something about Duran just doesn't sit right with me, y'know? What was he doing outside of Rhoan unescorted if he wasn't lookin' for us?"

She wanted to draw it, or try pressing it into a bookmark. She glanced at her bookshelf, where dying flower petals littered at the foot of it from her past attempts.

"He's a coward, that's what. Can't use a sword to save his life. Or our lives. Or anyone's life…"

Tia sighed and rested her head on the table. She felt so tired, her brain getting foggy while listening to Rex chatter.

"Don't care for that pansy….n't trust him...Tia?"

"Mn."

"Are you listening to me?"

"...Mmhm."

Something loud crashed next to Tia's head and she snapped back to attention. Rex was scowling at her, and numerous cracked and mismatched plates and cups were scattered on the table between them.

"Did you hear _anything_ I said?"

"Yes!"

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"You, you said, you said something about Duran right?" she chewed the inside of her cheek. "About his flowers and...and he's...don't like him?"

Rex clicked his tongue. While she muttered a half-hearted apology he marched back over to the whistling kettle and prepared their tea.

 _"Yeesh,_ someone _needs to take a chill pill or three, don't chya think?"_

Tia stood up so fast her chair fell. Ignoring Rex she dashed to the pulley system by the window and looked into the bucket. Inside was her satchel and school jacket.

The Book was nowhere in sight.

"Uh, Tia? You ok buddy?" Rex watched her frantic search, carefully putting the steaming cups down and began stacking the plates again. "Lose something?"

"That Book. Where is that Book?"

He looked up at her. It was then he noticed something clinging to the back of her shirt. He walked over and tapped her shoulder, and tried to peel it off. It was like trying to pull away two magnets from each other, but somehow he managed to pry it off of her.

"What's this?" he asked holding up the bookmark.

Tia ignored him. "Where is it? Where's the Book?"

"How the hell should I know?" Rex said.

" _Don't look at me,"_ the Bookmark said at the same time. " _Damn Book is here, somewhere."_

"But where?"  
 _"Hell if I know."_

She glared at it, grabbing her hair in fists and began to pace back and forth. It was only then did she remember Rex was still there, and he had a strange look on his face. Something she hadn't seen before.

Tia gave him a cautious smile. "What's wrong?"

"Wh-what's wrong?" he shook his head. "Tia, what's wrong with _you_? What the hells gotten into you lately?"

She finally stopped her pacing to mull over what he said. How could she explain? How could she explain how often she's seen that Book in her dreams, how often she listened to people screaming, of the ground groaning and breaking beneath her, of the sky burning and _oh gods everything is on fire and_ ** _burning_ ** and how could she tell him? That all her life felt like it was waiting for that dumb ugly book to appear?

Instead she forced a small laugh. "Ack, sorry. I probably look pretty silly right now. Um, I guess, I guess I've just been dreaming again."

"Dreaming."

"Yeah."

He frowned and set the bookmark on the table. "I don't like this, Tia. I don't like it. These dreams, these...things, these dreams? Like, there's gotta be something we can do, y'know?"

"If you've gotta new idea I'm open," she shrugged. "Sleeping draughts help, but there's not really any point to 'em anymore."

He nodded. It's been years since she's slept for eight hours straight, now she just accepted her fate and took sporadic naps throughout the day.

They sipped their tea in silence for a while, the _clop-clop-clopping_ noise of horses and carts driving over the bridge above them. Tia's thoughts kept going back to the Book, and what the voice said to her earlier.

" _You rewrote reality."_

…

…

….

….

" _Wake UP!"_

Tia jolted awake and looked around. The candles had long burned out and the tea had gotten cold. She rubbed her eyes just as the door shut.

" _He took the Book!"_

She rubbed her face, where indents of the table and the strange bookmark had formed on her cheek. That's when she realized Rex had gone.

"Guess I'm a bad conversationalist when I sleep," she chuckled. "Least now I know I don't talk in my sleep."

Tia got up and stretched, trying to rub the ache out of her back. Maybe she should visit Fana before doing doing something about that Book...

" _Hey genius, the Book's gone! Your stupid friend took it!"_

"Wait, what?" she looked at the bookmark then around the room. She ran to her knapsack and saw the flowers were still there, but the strange Book was not. "Dang it, Rex!"

" _Hurry!"_

She didn't need to be told twice. She ran outside and climbed up to the bridge, not bothering to answer when a surprised guardsman called her name. She made a sharp turn into the marketplace, saw Rex, and tackled him.

"Ow! What the hell, man?!"

"You took my stuff!"

Rex struggled, managing to flip her off and pin her down. "Well what'd'ya expect?"  
"That it's mine!"

"It's **witchcraft**!"

" _It's about t'be stolen again if ya don't hurry, kid."_

"What?" Tia jerked her head and saw some stranger pick up the Book, which fell to the side when she tackled Rex to the ground. "Don't touch that!"

Her sharp voice startled both the stranger and Rex, who finally looked at what got her attention. "Don't touch that!" he snarled.

Now that they had their bearings, the older woman eyed them suspiciously. "This your book here?"

"Yes!" they both said. Tia shoved him off.

"It's mine," she said.

"No it's **mine** , please gimme it, lady."

The woman raised an eyebrow at him and looked back at Tia, who was hastily dusting off her skirt. "You two shouldn't fight in the middle of the marketplace. You could have hurt someone."

Rex muttered something under his breath.

"Where are your parents? I'm sure they can settle this."

Tia flinched at her question and glanced at Rex. His hands were balled into fists, and if looks could kill the woman would probably be dead. For a second she thought that was almost what happened, considering at that precise moment the Book lit itself on fire.

The woman screamed and ran off.

Tia and Rex ran over to each other and grabbed each other's hands as the fire seemed to get bigger and hotter.

"Did you-?"

"I didn't do that." Tia stared into the fire, watched as the flames folded over itself and seemed to get denser, heavier, _darker…_ until it took the shape of a boy with horns around her age.

A boy with horns. A boy with horns with giant and strange shackles on his arms and weights around his neck.

And just like that the fire was gone and there was only the boy hovering over the Book. He groaned and tried to roll his neck and shoulders, harder to do than it seemed, before he looked over and glared at them.

" _You are_ such _a pain, y'know that?"_

Tia swallowed the bile that threatened to come out and slowly disentangled her fingers from Rex's. She took slow measured steps towards the boy, and picked up the Book without taking her eyes off of him.

He sighed with relief and grinned at her. " _Finally, now we can talk."_

She worried her bottom lip and looked at the Book in her hand. It blinked at her. She looked at the bookmark in her hand, and realized the design was now bare. She kept glancing back and forth between it and the boy, who kept talking without even looking at her. An idea began forming in her head.

Taking the bookmark, she slipped it between the pages. The boy only had a brief flash of realization before he vanished before her eyes.

" _Are you KIDDING me? We're doing this again?!"_ his voice yelled from within the Book.

She turned and marched over to Rex, who looked dumbstruck. "Where do you recommend we take this thing?"

Rex didn't say a word. He just stared openmouthed at the Book. She began to fidget.

"Um, to be honest I, well, I thought we could just throw it into the river?"

" _Don't you fucking dare."_

She gasped. "It just swore at me so, yeah, we're definitely doing that."

She turned, ready to head to the river, when she felt Rex grab her wrist. "Wait. Now hear me out: what if, and this is just an idea I had, but...what if we sold it?"

"'Sold it'?"

"Yeah," he gave her a devious grin. "Think about it: it's some sorta weird old thing, right? Bet there's lotta dumb rich folks who would like to get a hold of it."

"But," she frowned. "It's **magic**."

"Yeah, but, **money**."

" _Oh no. No no no no no. This is a bad idea."_

"Let's do it."

" _You son of a brat."_


End file.
